This is how is feels to be
by SamusX10
Summary: Step into the boots of Darth Vader as he experiences the turning points of his existence as a Sith Lord.


I got the concept from reading Matthew Stover's 'Revenge of the Sith', a book which, in my opinion, completely redeems the movie. That's not to say the movie was awful, although some will argue otherwise, but there was a lot that was left unsaid, perhaps lacking. Throughout his novel, he inspects different characters, Windu, Kenobi, Yoda, and most importantly, Anakin. I found Anakin's segments beautifully writen, and they really hit me all those years ago when I read them for the first time. This is the first of maybe a five-piece fic, which will follow roughly the same style as Stover's, as we see Vader's character move. I'll be using a couple of Stover's motifs, so if you feel confused, don't worry about it. It just means you need to go out and buy that book =D

Criticism is welcome, praise even more so. ;)

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"Only a master of evil Darth!"

This is how it feels to be Darth Vader

Your eyes burn fiercely as they look upon the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. Not the eyes he can see, given to you by Palpatine after the fight on Mustafar, but your real eyes, the eyes behind the mask. You hate him with such ferocity as you have never felt. Your mechanical hand grips your lightsaber tightly as you trade blows with one another. It's not a real fight. The real fight happened back on Mustafar years ago. To call this a battle would be a mockery of your skill. There are no acrobatics; Obi-Wan's legs can't push him off the ground. There are no force-propulsions; your connection to the force has been eroded with the decay of your flesh. There are barely any words, there is little left to say to one another. To you, there is only hatred, hatred for the man who stole everything from you. You lunge at him, parry, strike, but this is not a climactic battle. No, this is simply a conclusion. To you, this is finishing the fight the Jedi started when Obi-Wan tried stealing Padme from you. You have risen to your feet moments after Kenobi severed your legs. You feel the fury of the Sith running through you. How you have longed for this day.

You are ready to kill him.

You were once the hero of the galaxy. You were the man who kept the republic safe. But most importantly, you were Padme Amidala's husband.

Now you are old.

You're both old. So much less than you once were. Neither of you can channel the force as you used to. Obi-Wan has been suppressing his power for decades, and you are no longer as agile as you once were. But you don't need to be. Your durasteel arms are stronger than his fragile limbs. You push him back, only slightly, but enough for you to relish the fight.

"Your powers are weak, old man" you taunt him.

"You cannot win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

It's empty bravado, a _jedi _trick. It takes less than a second for you to toss is aside in your mind. You parry, thrust, and push him further back. You can feel all his effort pouring into this fight, and it makes you stronger. You will crush Obi Wan Kenobi, famed general of the Clone Wars.

And then he changes his focus. His attention moves _away_ from you, shifting to the hanger. You see that the Rebels are fleeing to their ship, a battalion of stormtroopers close behind. It doesn't interest you, but Kenobi's eyes are fixed on the scene.

Then the fight changes. His eyes turn back to you and smile, he drops his guard. You strike at him. You don't know why, but you feel your lightsaber burn through cloth. His cloak falls to the ground, _empty._ There is no corpse, no final vigil left behind, _nothing._ You check the robes, prodding them with your foot to be sure, and move onward. It disturbs you only for a few moments, as you consider the significance of what has occurred, but you dismiss it soon afterward.

Obi Wan Kenobi is dead, and there are rebels to hunt.

Somewhere inside you, you feel cold. You pause and reflect on it. The dark side of the force is source of infinite heat, a constant blaze of fire inside you, but now you feel a chill from decades ago.

"All things die, even stars burn out" it whispers to you.

You stiffle the dragon of Anakin Skywalker and move onward.

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Short, I know, but there wasn't a lot to work with here. Next? I'll be taking a detour into the Force Unleashed. Stay Tuned, R an R!

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